The Best is Yet to Come
by international-gurl322
Summary: "I want to be more than who I am." After years of slaving over her mother's murder, Kate Beckett is finally ready to move forward with her life. As she begins letting go of all her demons, she also begins drifting closer to Rick Castle. Post 4x09.
1. Chapter 1: In the Beginning

_"I want to be more than who I am."_

As the rhythmic cadence of her heels echoed off the hallway walls leading to her loft, so did those words rebound within the confines of her mind. After a grueling past couple of days, it felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and a sense of liberation coursed through her veins. Everything seemed brighter, in a way - or perhaps she just hadn't allowed herself to appreciate the world's vibrancy until now. Whatever the case, something was different...something had changed. Like a long-time prisoner released from their shackles, taking that first step out of the suffocating darkness of their cell into the luminescent light of the sun, she felt _alive_.

For the first time in a very long time, Kate Beckett was free.

Without conscious forethought, the emerald-eyed detective slid her small silver key into the lock, twisting it with a satisfying _click_, and then stepped inside. She paused at the threshold, taking in her surroundings. What had once seemed so familiar, so cozy...suddenly felt foreign, empty. Not only was it still trashed from her breakdown - coffee table tossed askew, shards of glass scattering the floor, and the like - but it seemed to be missing something. _Or someone_, whispered a small voice in the back of her mind. Her thoughts immediately traveled to that of one enchanting, blue-eyed mystery writer.

Softly shutting the door behind her, Kate tossed her bag on the counter and raked long, nimble fingers through disheveled auburn tresses. She inhaled a deep, cleansing breath as she glanced at the clock. Time seemed to have escaped her - her therapy session had ended roughly around six, but it was now going on eight o'clock. She'd taken the long way home, on foot no less, so she supposed that was to be expected. Still, she suddenly felt a growing sense of urgency, as though the passing hours were like grains of sand slipping through her fingers, beyond her grasp. She needed to _do_ something, to _go_ somewhere, to _be_ with someone other than herself.

One person stood out in her mind...there was one person she needed to call.

After pouring herself a modest glass of merlot, Kate padded into her bedroom and flipped on the overhead light. Gingerly perching on the edge of the mattress, she rubbed her jean-clad thighs, stalling. That powerful, liberated feeling seemed to have fled in favor of a fluttering in her stomach and a pounding in her chest. She felt sixteen again, fretting over whether or not to phone her crush and ask him to be her date to the Sadie Hawkins dance. It was ridiculous, really.

Draining the rest of her wine, the brunette whipped out her cell as if it were a nefarious weapon, and resolved to take the plunge. Her fingers knowingly dialed the number, and she listened to the familiar high-pitched ring. It only sounded once before that husky, all-too attractive voice filled her ears.

"Beckett?" He sounded surprised.

"Hey Castle," She replied warmly, feeling a sudden rush of affection toward him.

"Is everything okay? Did a body drop already?" He seemed overly concerned, and she could just picture his brows forming a furrowed line above those captivating baby blue eyes.

"No, no, nothing like that," Kate answered quickly, already feeling like she'd made a mistake. What if he was busy? She should've considered that he might want to spend some time with his family after a tense couple of days. The last face he wanted to see, the last voice he wanted to hear, was probably hers. "Everything's fine."

Relief flooded Rick's voice. "Good, good." A pregnant pause. "So...how are you feeling?"

Kate felt like banging her head against the wall. This was not their usual mode of conversation, it was not the witty banter or verbal foreplay she'd grown to know and love. But honestly, what had she expected? Obviously he'd be more solicitous, more cautious, between the way she'd all but lost control...and the way she'd treated him like a welcome mat to trample all over. "I'm feeling a lot better," she breathed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I really am."

There was a smile detectable in his tone. "I'm glad." Another pause, before he added a bit more hesitantly, "I was worried about you."

Her heart skipped a beat, and her voice softened. "I know you were," she murmured. Kate felt clumsy and awkward in this openly emotional territory between them. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment, indecisive, then continued, "Look, Castle, I'm sorry I kicked you to the curb for most of this case. I just..." She trailed off, at a loss for what to say. But Rick smoothly picked up where she left off - he always knew the words at the tip of her tongue.

"You were under a lot of stress, Kate," He supplemented in a warm, empathetic tone. "You're allowed to be human from time to time, too, you know."

A soft laugh tumbled from her lips. "I guess I just needed someone to remind me of that."

Rick chuckled as well. "Well, then, I'm your man."

Warmth emanated from her chest and spread throughout her body, from head to toe. "Yeah," she said quietly, "yeah, you are." She realized how that sounded, but she didn't exactly care - tonight was going to be a night of risks, she decided.

A flush colored her cheeks, and it wasn't just because of the wine. "Listen, Castle...do you have plans tonight?" As their conversation became more fluid, Kate became more bold. What was the worst that could happen?

She refrained from allowing herself to contemplate answers to that question.

"That depends," he began, sounding more like his usual charming, playful self with every word. "What do you consider 'plans'? My laptop is calling out to me, insisting that I should be writing, but what can I say? I like to live on the edge, switch it up from time to time. Who knows, I may just sit here and bask in the evening's soft glow."

It was as though some irrefutable law of the universe was compelling her to roll her eyes, in typical Beckett fashion. "I think it's a little late for that," she replied, light amusement reflected in her tone as she tossed a glance out her window, noting the darkened city skyline. "Sorry to burst your bubble. If you'd like, I'll buy you a drink and you can try basking in the dim, skeevy light of the bar." She pursed her lips, suddenly feeling as though _inhale, exhale_ was a foreign concept. Why was she being so anxious and girlish about this? It wasn't the first time she'd offered to take Castle out.

But it _was_ the first time she'd offered as someone other than his platonic crime-fighting partner. It was the first time she'd gone out of her way to arrange it; the first time she'd allowed it to seem like she _wanted_ to spend time with him, without fear of its connotation, how he might tease her, or his ego might inflate at the prospect.

"Why, Detective Beckett, I thought you'd never ask." He sounded truly flattered, with only a subtle hint of smugness or jousting - a quality she simply expected to hear in his voice. "I couldn't possibly imagine better company with which to spend the evening."

And there he went with one of those 'Castleblanca' lines, as she liked to call them. They made her heart stutter and her legs weak like putty, an element of movie-worthy romance that she never expected to encounter in this decade. It was moments like these that made her wonder why she didn't just _go_ for it with this guy, this sweet and incredible man.

"Unless you throw Carmen Elektra into the equation...but that's a whole different story."

Moment over. "A story that _you_ certainly won't be writing," Kate retorted crisply, though she had to smile at the sound of his hearty laughter at the other end of the line. "How about _The Old Haunt_? Nothing like buying a guy a drink at his own bar." She chortled, drumming her fingers idly on her thigh. This was probably the longest non-case-related phone conversation they'd ever shared.

"An excellent suggestion, I must say," Rick responded lightly, "but I'd like to take you somewhere special tonight. Mind if I hop on over to your place in about an hour? The establishment I have in mind is within walking distance, but I'm considering pursuing a career as an in impromptu tour guide, and you're my guinea pig."

It was sometimes genuinely difficult to discern whether or not he was yanking her chain. Either way, she was intrigued. "Alright, Castle, I'll bite. But it won't be easy to wow this guinea pig." Kate inwardly puzzled at that peculiar statement. This wasn't exactly how she'd expected the conversation to go when she'd planned it all out inside her head, but then again, when did anything ever go according to plan with Rick Castle?

"I aim to please, Detective, you know that," He answered smoothly, "and by the end of evening, pleased you will be. I guarantee it."

Kate arched a brow, trying to keep her mind from sinking into the gutter with the many, many different meanings that phrase lent itself to. "We'll see about that." There was a touch of playfulness to her tone, something she hadn't heard from herself in a long time.

"Yes, I do believe we shall." _This_ was the banter she'd so sorely missed.

"Oh, and Castle?"

"Beckett?"

She just had to ask. "You said you want to take me some place 'special.' Are we talking 'nice evening cocktail dress' special, or 'old sweater and blue jeans' special?" At the risk of sounding like she needed to feel pretty around him, she would be damned if she was going to show up looking like a bum at some chic, high-end bar in Uptown Manhattan - if that was what he had in mind, of course.

Warmth flooded his tone. "You'll look extraordinary no matter what you wear, Kate. I'll see you soon."

Before the thorough detective could interrogate him any further, he'd hung up, and she was left with absolutely no inkling as to appropriate attire for their little escapade. Instead, she wore a wide, faintly giddy smile.

Things were looking up already, and she strongly suspected the best was yet to come.


	2. Chapter 2: Of Orchids and Lilies

_Wow, thanks for all your feedback, everyone! I really appreciate it._

"Sweater_dress_," Kate Beckett mused aloud, appraising herself in the full-length mirror propped against the wall in her bedroom. "That's kind of like a compromise, right?" When no answer came, she gave a firm nod at her reflection to reassure herself of the choice: a simple, slim-fitting, long-sleeved lace-back dress. It was comfortable and casual enough to seem effortless, but also a shade of deep, mossy green to highlight her eyes. The lace in the back, which dipped extra low, provided for a sexy surprise. After all, she just couldn't resist shaking Castle up a little bit.

And the best part? No one would ever possibly be able to guess that she'd spent the last twenty minutes or so tearing up her closet, ravaging the area in a full-blown fashion hurricane. Lanie would ridicule her to no end about such a sight - sensible, pragmatic Detective Beckett, behaving like a teenage girl before her first date. But thankfully, the sassy M.E. wasn't around to make any of her smartass comments, even if it would have been nice to get her approval on the outfit.

Tearing her eyes away from the mirror before she could find something to criticize, Kate surveyed the disaster zone around her, and subsequently recalled the other mess out in the living room. It served as a reminder of the darkness she'd stumbled through the past few days, and though she wasn't ashamed, she did want to move on. The last thing she desired was to start her evening off with Castle answering questions about what had happened to create such disarray. And although she doubted they would be able to skirt the subject forever, she hoped it wouldn't be the hot topic of the night. They spent enough time dissecting and agonizing over case details - this was an opportunity to branch away from that, without the distractions of murder, mystery, and mayhem. So, she slipped back into her heels and strode out to tackle the clutter, being extra careful not to cut herself again on the merciless shards of glass.

It was just after she'd finished cleaning the floor and upturning the table that there was a light, concise series of raps on the door, which were suspiciously reminiscent of the tune to the _Ghost Busters_ theme song. Shaking her head in amusement, the tall brunette straightened and smoothed her dress before gliding over and turning the knob to reveal one suavely smiling, ruggedly handsome best-selling author.

"Delivery for a Miss Katherine Beckett," he greeted in a most debonair, gallant manner, producing a bouquet of gorgeous white lilies and fuschia orchids.

"Quite the gentleman this evening, Castle," Kate observed, smiling gently as she accepted the flowers. Their fingers brushed and her heart skipped a beat, electrified by the contact. She was a bit overwhelmed by the sweetness of the gesture, but grateful nonetheless.

Rick inclined his head with twinkling eyes. "Aren't I always?"

"That's debatable," she countered smoothly, with a light laugh as he hung his head in mock defeat. "Thank you. I really don't deserve these after I...you know...gave you the cold shoulder most of the week." Meeting his eyes, she bit down on her lower lip softly, feeling a twinge of guilt.

With a wave of his hand, Castle responded in a warm but firm tone, holding her gaze steady. "Enough of the apologies, Kate. We've soldiered through worse together." The depth, the meaning behind the way he was looking at her caused a chill to traverse the length of her spine. "Besides, there's a flower shop right on the way to your place, and they had this adorable teddy in the window. I just had to go in." From behind his back, he revealed a little brown stuffed bear with big, pleading brown eyes, holding a heart that read '_Be Mine_' in scrawling white letters.

Kate felt the smile spread like wildfire over her features, unable to hide her amusement. "I swear, you're such a girl," she quipped with laughter in her voice, stepping aside to allow him into her loft. "Who do you plan on giving that thing to, anyway? Alexis?"

Moving beyond the threshold with all the ease and grace of a confident man, Rick stopped at her side, inclining his head toward her with a light smirk. "I can assure you that I have many clear-cut masculine qualities, any of which I would be more than happy to demonstrate to you at your whim," he murmured lowly, his mouth dangerously close, his breath warm on her ear. He then strode past her to set the bear down on the table she'd only recently upturned, pivoting to face her with a wide grin. "It's yours, my dear detective. You know, something for you to snuggle at night, hold close under the covers, and think of me." He winked, giving her a playful and not-so-subtle once-over.

Quickly recovering from her body's reaction to his suggestive comment in her ear, Kate arched a brow, scrutinizing him. "Always looking out for me, aren't you, Castle?" She teased, still thoroughly amused by his antics.

"Always." Rick echoed in reply. Although his smile was light and sportive, his eyes conveyed a more earnest message, making it hard for her to look away.

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, though instead, she turned and moved into the kitchen. "I'll just run some water in a vase for this bouquet, and then I'm set." Kate said, dutifully informing him of what she was doing although he could clearly see for himself. It was a habit from their casework together at the precinct. Plus, she'd needed an excuse to turn her back so he wouldn't see the flush of pleasure rising in her cheeks. "Where is this mystery bar, anyway?" She inquired while busying herself with cutting the ends of the flowers. "You might as well just tell me now, because I'll probably figure it out along the way unless you blindfold me - which I am _not_ condoning, by the way."

The writer's chuckle was deep and rich, prompting a stab of desire in her lower abdomen. "Beckett, Beckett, _Beckett_," he chided, strolling over to stand beside her and watch as she arranged the flowers in the vase with an endearing amount of concentration. "You wouldn't want me to ruin the surprise, now would you? I guarantee this is a place you've never been before, though I don't doubt you get around." He grinned at the look she shot him, then reached over and placed a hand lightly atop hers, halting her near obsessive positioning of the lilies and orchids. "The floral gods are appeased. Now, shall we be off? Time is of the essence."

Kate stopped in her tracks, looking at his hand and then up into his face, surprise evident in her expression. Rick asked her a question with his eyes, and she answered with a faint nod, regaining her voice after a moment. "Sure," she replied after a slight delay, her skin tingling where his fingers had lingered. "But what's the rush? We on a schedule?" Lifting the vase and then striding over to carefully set it in the center of the table, she tossed him an inquisitive look over her shoulder.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," He answered cryptically with a chesire smile, prompting an exasperated look from his partner. "Either way, we've got to move - the night is calling to us, detective, can't you hear? Adventure awaits."

A pause, before Kate straightened up and gasped, glancing about frantically with wide eyes. "Yes, I hear it!" She exclaimed. Then after a moment, she slumped and added dryly, "Oh, wait...those are just car horns and ambulance sirens."

Rick narrowed his eyes in mock chagrin at her smug smile. "You just wait - I'll make a believer out of you yet! Now, quit horsing around, we've got places to be."

Before she could call him out for accusing _her_ of horseplay, the eager author had made his way to the door and opened it with a dramatic flair, gesturing for her to exit first. "M'lady," he accompanied the phrase with a theatrical flourish of his arm.

Picking up her clutch, she sauntered over to the door, taking her good old time. "Don't rush me, Castle," she scolded, "If you won't satisfy my curiosity, I won't satisfy your anxiety." With a cheeky smile, Kate breezed past him, an added sway to her hips because she _knew_ he'd be watching.

Shutting the door in her wake, Rick grinned and caught up to her within a few quick strides. _Oh, this is going to be fun._

_Don't worry, you will find out where he's taking her next chapter, for sure! ;)_


	3. Chapter 3: A Light in the Darkness

_Again, thanks for your comments and suggestions, it means a lot to me! I tried to make this one longer for you guys._

As the duo departed the quiet apartment building, the air that embraced them was surprisingly warm and pleasant for a late evening in mid-November. The sounds of the ever-eventful night surrounded them, familiar and famous to native New Yorkers and tourists alike. A light, balmy breeze ruffled the loose auburn tresses of the detective as she inhaled deeply, breathing in the life of the city she'd known and loved since she was a little girl. Just as there was crime and crookedness within the legendary iron jungle, there was also boundless beauty to behold, one just had to look in the right places. Many cops were jaded, blinded by the villainy they dealt with daily, but Kate tried to keep it all in perspective. After all, it was impossible to appreciate the light without the darkness as well.

"You look deeply engrossed by something, detective," Rick interjected into the comfortable silence, his baby blue eyes studying her features in the shadows of the streetlights. She looked positively ethereal. "What's on your mind?" One of the things he most admired about her was the brains behind the beauty; the wheels of that brilliant mind were always churning away.

Arms crossed lightly over her chest, Kate gave a gentle shrug. "A cure for cancer, world peace, solving the economic crisis...you know, all in a day's work." She laughed as her companion nodded nonchalantly, as though he had been expecting such an answer.

"Right, of course, should've guessed," he played along, chuckling. "Speaking of such ground-breaking matters, have you thought about what to name him?"

Kate tossed a puzzled glance his way. "Name who?" She asked, eyeing him with a slight wariness.

The mystery writer returned her gaze with shocked disbelief, as if the answer was insultingly obvious. "Your new bedmate, of course!" When she continued to stare at him incredulously, he elaborated with a feigned dramatic sigh, "The teddy bear?"

The brunette scrutinized him for a long moment, then determined he was being legitimately serious. She had to laugh, shaking her head in lighthearted amusement. "You're really gunning for me to snuggle with that stuffed animal, Castle," she remarked, arching a brow at him. "What'd you do, stick a camera in it or something?"

Rick looked as though she'd just given him a brilliant idea. He stroked his faintly stubbled chin thoughtfully, staring off into the distance with glassy eyes, until she gave him a playful shove. "Ow! Now, now, there's no need to get rough...sadly, it's too late for me to do that anyway." He grinned cheekily, then continued, "But seriously, he needs a name - that's only the first and foremost rule of owning a stuffed animal."

Deciding to play along with his antics, Kate eyed him in a humorously accusing manner. "Why do you assume it's a 'he'? Did you examine its privates while picking out my bouquet?"

His features contorted in mock outrage. "Of course not! That would be downright strange." A pause. "I waited until I was alone in the men's room."

The seasoned detective fought back a grin, scoffing in amusement. "You're something else, Rick, you know that?" She declared, although she suspected he was all too aware.

"So they tell me." He responded easily, his eyes twinkling as he observed her.

Kate smiled faintly, before averting her gaze to the sidewalk. She was quiet for a long moment, until she finally spoke. "Roy," she said in a soft tone, "I'll call him Roy."

Castle was struck by the sentimentality of the gesture. Then again, he knew that beneath all her cold and stony layers, she was a tenderhearted person. After all, she wore her mother's wedding ring on a chain around her neck, and her father's watch on her wrist. "Sounds perfect to me," he agreed. "He does have Montgomery's eyes."

She lifted her own emerald orbs to meet his, amusement and affection in their depths. The corners of her pink lips twitched up into a smile. "If you say so," she replied with a laugh. It was rather funny to envision the former captain's reaction to being compared to a stuffed teddy bear.

They journeyed on in companionable silence for a few moments, once again listening to the hubbub of the city in the background. "So how'd you manage to escape the gingers?" Kate inquired, referring to his daughter and mother. "I was sure they'd want to spend some quality time after you've been putting in more hours as a cop than I have these past few days."

Rick chose to ignore the latter part of her statement, not wanting to get into another dead-end discussion about how he completely understood her situation, and that she'd needed some time and space. "It's a Friday night," he stated simply, amicably. "Alexis is out with her friends, and my mother...well, God only knows what she's up to." He chuckled, raising his brows in tandem with a shrug.

Kate nodded understandingly, a smile tugging at the edges of her mouth. Martha was a handful, that was for certain, though she couldn't help but respect the woman. She was so full of life and vibrance, a quality lost in many people, robbed from them by the chill of reality.

"You know, they ask about you all the time," he continued after a moment, surveying her with a lingering side-long glance. "They've been worried about you, especially with all the stress and pressure you've been under lately." A long pause, in which he debated whether or not to voice his next thought aloud. He decided to go for it. "They care about you, Kate." Rick wished he could muster up the courage to reach over and gently place a finger beneath her chin, and tilt her head up so he could look into her eyes. "And so do I." He was going out on a limb, this he knew, but given the intensity of the past week, he was sure that they could step beyond their unspoken rules, even if only for a moment.

Her heart was thudding erratically in her chest as she dared to meet his gaze, caught significantly off-guard by not only his unbidden words, but the utter sincerity behind them. Kate swallowed the lump in her throat, wanting to return the sentiment with something meaningful, but not knowing what to say or where to start. It had been a long time since she'd ventured into this realm of vulnerability and uncertainty with anyone but herself. "I know you do, Castle," she replied at length, her voice soft and warm, mirroring the evening breeze. "We're partners. It comes with the territory." A smile graced her lips, the slightest bit shy but also genuine.

Rick inclined his head, his eyes deeply and earnestly blue as they rested upon her face. He hadn't expected anything saturated with emotion, a heartfelt speech or a profession of love. No, nothing like that - because with Kate Beckett, it was all about the subtleties. The fact that she'd made the first move tonight, taken a step forward without hurriedly stepping back, meant just as much as the words she didn't say but he still heard loud and clear, reflected in the depths of her eyes.

Awakened from his momentary trance, the author recognized their surroundings and came to a halt, reaching out to stop his partner as well. Though instead of the light touch to her shoulder he'd intended, he missed his target, and his hand was trapped by the force of gravity. His fingers skirted the lace of her dress, trailing down her spine, coming to rest upon the delicate curve at the small of her back. His eyes darkened and something stirred deep within as he felt her shudder. Taking a step toward her, his voice was huskier than usual as he murmured, "Detective," she shivered beneath his fingertips, "close your eyes."

A fiery, tingling sensation followed his fingertips down her spine, and Kate felt as though every nerve in her body was concentrated on that single area he brushed. She bit her lip, holding back a groan at how his touch felt over that sinfully gauzy lace, so sheer and light it was almost as if he was caressing her bare skin. Her pulse pounded, her head swam, her imagination ignited. It was amazing what this man could do to her with a single graze of his hand. "Why?" She eventually managed to ask, her voice more breathless than she would've liked.

"Because it's part of the surprise," he answered swiftly, his warm breath licking at the back of her neck. "Trust me?"

Kate listened to the soft sounds of their synchronized breathing, feeling the heat of his body so tantalizingly near to her own. Her eyelids fluttered only for a moment, before obediently closing. "For the most part," she murmured in response, biting back a smile at his low chuckle.

Rick's palm flattened, bracing the small of her back as he began to lead her in the right direction. "No peeking," he reminded with a smirk, which transformed into a grin at the sight of her scowl. He marveled at the fact she was even letting him do this, and though she played the victim, he knew that if she hadn't trusted him, if she hadn't felt safe at his fingertips, she would've told him to pound salt.

Her steps were measured and even, a steady forward progression as he guided her along the way. The thought struck her that this was rather symbolic of how he'd driven her in the right direction during the case, a beacon of light at the end of the tunnel she blindly stumbled through. However, Kate didn't voice these musings aloud, unwilling to subject herself to his smugness at the fact that just as he'd started to think like a cop upon her influence, she'd started to think like a writer upon his.

"Stop," Rick compelled her softly, his fingertips lingering on her skin a moment longer than necessary. "Open your eyes."

The curiosity bubbling within her reached a peak as her lids flew open, and her eyes adjusted to the sudden burst of light. Kate drank in the sight before her with a growing sense of awe, her lips parting the slightest bit in silent surprise. In her midst was a scene of utmost beauty, of shimmering elegance. It was a small outdoor terrace, enclosed by a sprawling trellis with thick, endless vines weaving through it, dotted with bursts of color from various flowers. In between little round wooden tables set with plates, silverware, wine glasses and the like were blooming pink dogwood trees, a rarity in the city, which she hadn't witnessed since she was a small child. At the hollow base of the tree's branches were glowing candles, sheltered by stained glass cases, illuminating the area in a rainbow of colors. It was like a page torn from a story book brought to life, and she blinked a few times to reassure herself it was real.

"You like?" Rick asked, smiling at the expression on her face. She looked like a small child who had just seen Disney World for the first time, only with the beauty of a grown woman.

Yet again taking in the sweeping expanse of the scenery, Kate beamed as she nodded profusely. "It's stunning," she breathed, her wonder-filled gaze falling upon his face. "Absolutely gorgeous." She turned and walked a few paces forward, reaching up to gingerly finger a delicate blossom on one of the dogwood trees. Tossing a glance at him over her shoulder, she inquired, "But where is everyone? And more importantly...where are we?"

Before Rick could answer, a tiny olive-skinned woman with a voice bigger than her body came bursting through the gate. She was clad in a green apron stained with flour and red sauce, and an infectiously gleeful expression. "Richard Castle, _è stato troppo lungo!_ It has been much too long!" She cried with a thick Italian accent, her wildly curly dark hair whirling about as she launched at him in a tight embrace, kissing each of his cheeks. When she turned around, Kate saw that she looked to be in her late fifties, around Martha's age. "_Il mio Dio_, is this her? _Quanto bella_, she is even more beautiful than you said!" The petite woman came bustling over to the detective, broadly smiling and opening her arms wide, as though they'd known each other for years.

"_Benvenuto a Ristorante Barolo!_" The little Italian exclaimed, drawing her into a lung-crushing hug. When she pulled away, she placed her palms gently on either side of Kate's face. "_Tale bellezza!_ And in all the years I have known Richard, he has never once brought a woman to meet me. You must be very special." She waggled her eyebrows, bouncing on the balls of her heels.

Slightly flustered and at a loss for words, color began to rise in Kate's cheeks, before her partner came to the rescue. "Kate, this is Rita DeMarco. She owns _Barolo_, which is all the magnificence you see before you." He gestured at the terrace with a smile. "She also happens to be a close friend of my mother's, and watched me a lot when I was a kid."

Rita leaned in, making a cone around her mouth with her calloused chef's hands. "I have many pictures if you would like to see, he was handsome even as a boy." She winked, then laughed heartily as Rick made frantic gestures of refusal, drawing his finger across his neck. waving his hands around and shaking his head. "Ah, Richard, don't forget you owe me! I closed my restaurant on a Friday night so you could impress a lovely lady." Her accented tone was warm and teasing, as she smiled knowingly at Kate. "But she looks more than worth it."

Raising both brows, Kate's emerald eyes landed upon the writer's face with a mixture of surprise and gratitude, with only a trace of mock disgruntlement. "I thought I was buying you a drink, Castle," she remarked sportively, with a slight smirk. "Always have to one-up me, don't you?"

As Rick grinned cheekily, Rita interjected, "You buy the vino, _tesora_." She ushered them toward a table, muttering to herself in Italian along the way. "While you are here, you must eat!" From her apron pocket she produced menus, setting them down as the two took their seats. "You behave yourself, Richard." She pinched his cheek and grinned, then slipped on out of the gate, presumably back into the restaurant. A few moments later, soft and sensual piano music drifted from somewhere, swaying in tandem with the trees.

"Well, now that you've met the Italian version of my mother," Rick joked lightly as he reached for the bottle in the center of the table, "would you like some of the finest _Chianti Classico_ you'll ever taste?" He offered a toothy grin, gesturing to it grandly, like a car salesman.

"Don't have to twist my arm," Kate replied easily, sliding her glass across the table. As he poured the dark liquid, she watched the candlelight flicker across his features, silently admiring the shape of his jaw and the light stubble sprinkling it. She imagined what it would be like to ghost her fingertips over his cheek, along those dimples that drove her crazy, over the lips she had once kissed with the guise of an undercover operation. In the idyllic, romantic setting of _Barolo_'s outdoor terrace, it was all too easy to fall prey to such fanciful thoughts. The pleasurable haze clouding her mind made it difficult to stop such musings, which brought a warmth to her face, and a smolder to her eyes as she studied him.

Once he'd given them both a generous glass of the Chianti, Rick placed the bottle back into the center of the table and allowed himself a fleeting glance at his partner. His eyes did a swift double take as he drank in the expression on her face, the sensuality simmering beneath the surface. In response he was compelled to loosen the collar of his shirt, feeling his inner temperature rise at that look in the depths of those alluring emeralds. It had only lasted a moment, and for all he knew he could've imagined it, but either way, it got his blood boiling in his veins. He was reminded of Rita's warning to 'behave' himself, and realized just how very difficult that might turn out to be.

Lifting his glass, Rick held her gaze steady as he husked, "To you, Detective Beckett," he paused, smiling at her arched brow, "New York's finest. You make this city a safer place for everyone, including my daughter, which I am eternally grateful for."

As the light _chink_ of their glasses chimed into the serene silence of the night, Kate regarded him with bright eyes, which reflected the flickering flame of the candlelight in their depths. She took a long sip of her vino, gaze locked with his, before commenting, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Castle," she paused, then a smile blossomed on her lips. "Unless you've thrown alcohol into the mix. This wine is amazing." She allowed herself another drink, enjoying its thick texture and dark taste on her tongue.

"Well, you know what they say," Rick chuckled deeply, taking a sip himself. "'Life is too short to drink bad wine.'"

Shaking her head with a light laugh, Kate crossed her legs and leaned forward a bit, setting down her glass. "I've never heard that expression before, but I'm inclined to agree." She smirked as he feigned a heart attack, once again entirely amused by his antics. He was like watching a never-ending one-man show, and she hadn't even needed to buy a ticket.

"If I'd figured out earlier that all I had to do to get you to see my side of things was pour you a glass of wine, I'd have done it a long time ago." He remarked smoothly, grinning as she gave a light roll of the eyes.

Choosing to otherwise ignore his cheeky comment, Kate propped open a menu on her lap and inquired, "So what's good here? I'm not as well-versed as I should be in Italian cuisine, aside from spaghetti and lasagna." Her eyes roved over the various entrées, intrigued but fairly clueless. She didn't usually have time for fine dining. After all, her version of eating out was usually Kung Pao chicken, Lo Mein or pizza while she poured over a case file.

Leaving his menu aside, Rick watched with twinkling eyes her intense concentration as she read. He'd eaten here - and in Rita's own kitchen - enough times to pretty much know the food by heart, but didn't want to spoil her fun. Plus, that little crinkle between her brows was entirely too adorable. "Well, then it seems I've brought you to the right place, because this is the best Italian you'll find until you reach Florence." He waggled his eyebrows and grinned.

"Oh, really?" Kate raised a brow, fighting to keep a straight face. "New York's finest isn't fine enough for a trip to Florence?"

Rick clapped a hand to his chest. "_Ouch_," he responded painfully, his brows knitting together as he feigned agony. "You wound me, detective, you really do. Who knew you'd be so high maintenance?" He shook his head, fixing her with a mournful look.

The brunette gave a nonchalant shrug. "You can take the girl out of Manhattan, but you can't take the Manhattan out of the girl." She chuckled, coining a phrase one of her college friends had used all the time.

He tilted his glass toward her in acknowledgment. "Touché," he replied, taking a long sip. Just as he was setting it down, a younger version of Rita came strolling toward their table.

"_Buona sera_, my name is Adriana and I'll be your server this evening." She smiled pleasantly, her eyes a dark and warm molten chocolate.

"Oh, don't be a stranger, Adri," Rick chided teasingly, reaching over to give the girl's hand a squeeze. She looked to be in her late twenties. "Kate, this is Rita's daughter. She used to babysit Alexis way back when."

Shaking the younger woman's hand, Kate smiled. "Nice to meet you."

Adriana bowed her head graciously, then asked, "Can I get either of you anything to start with? An appetizer?" Her gaze flicked back and forth between the two of them.

Settling back in her chair with an amused expression, Kate gestured toward her partner. "Take it away, Castle," she drawled playfully, tucking her hair behind her ears. "This is your chance to really impress me. My mom always said the way to a woman's heart was actually through her stomach."

The writer's eyes softened. It was so very rare that she mentioned anything about her mother, he knew she had to be relaxed and enjoying herself to feel comfortable enough to mention it. "Your mom was a wise woman," he replied with a smile, then returned his attention to Adriana. "We'll have the _Tortino di Seppie_ and _Carciofi e Zucchini_ to start with." The young waitress gave a swift nod, then disappeared to fetch their food.

"Should I even ask what you just ordered us?" Kate raised both brows curiously, taking another sip of her wine.

"You just wait," he replied, wagging a finger at her. "This will blow your mind."

She laughed. "My mind is already pretty well blown, considering I thought we were going to be sitting at a bar drinking beer." Kate took a sip of her wine, then studied him over the rim of her glass. "I should let you surprise me more often." She declared, with the hint of a smile playing on her lips.

At that moment, a song he recognized began playing, and an idea popped into his head. "In that case," he began, pushing back his chair and rising to his feet, "allow me to surprise you yet again." Walking over to stand beside her chair, Rick held her gaze with a debonair smile, and extended his hand toward her. "May I have this dance?"

_Will she or won't she say yes? Find out next chapter! ;)_


	4. Chapter 4: The Nearness of You

_Thanks for the reviews everyone! I'm really enjoying writing this story, so I'm glad you're enjoying reading it._

This was certainly not the evening she'd originally envisioned. A lukewarm beer at a dim bar on the Lower East Side, their usual back-and-forth banter routine, and then a lone journey back home was what had played out in her mind before she'd given him a call. Kate Beckett was not a dreamer by nature, not anymore at least. She'd taught herself not to expect too much out of anything or anyone, and that had kept her heart safe for the past decade or so while she warred with the world to find her mother's murderer. But living in that protective shell, behind a brick wall with an armed sentry stationed around its borders, became tedious and quite frankly, very lonely. Always keeping people at a distance, while a survival technique, had a price. To be sheltered and shielded from risk came at the cost of a life worth living.

Still, the notion of surrendering her defense mechanisms in favor of _real_ living brought with it a terrifying, paralyzing fear. But she was tired of being so scared, tired of being so practical, and most of all, tired of being so alone.

For a long moment, Kate simply stared at the author's open hand, and by extension, his invitation to take a risk. _Good Lord, it's not like he's proposing to you_, asserted a sassy voice in the back of her mind, which sounded suspiciously like Lanie's. _Dance with the man! You'll regret it if you don't._ The detective considered the truth of that statement, then decided that she'd had enough of living with regrets, and wouldn't let this become one of them.

And so she smiled. "Just don't step on my toes," Kate quipped as she accepted his hand, rising gracefully from her chair. Luckily, she hadn't yet consumed enough alcohol to inhibit her ability to walk, much less dance, in four-inch heels.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Rick responded swiftly, trying and failing to keep the boyish, giddy grin off his face. Sure, he was a bona fide ladies man, but that suaveness and sense of security fled under the piercing emerald gaze of his partner, who seemed to know all and see all when it came to him. She didn't fall for his charms, she wasn't easily wooed or wowed by his money or connections. When he'd first met Beckett, the chase had been the most alluring aspect of his relationship with her, the fact that she was the one woman on the face of the planet that he couldn't smooth talk into bed with him. She was a wild card, an unexpected twist in his drab, predictable world. But now...now, she was so much more. He couldn't adequately express in words his feelings toward her, an enigma that he'd spent the past three years endeavoring to unravel and understand.

For the second time that evening, she let him take the lead, allowing him to guide her by the hand out into an open space on the terrace. Rick pivoted to face her, then hesitated, unsure of how close she was comfortable with.

Amusement overcame Kate's features. "You afraid of catching my cooties, Castle?" She teased, taking a step toward him. This brought them tantalizingly near to one another, close enough for her to feel the heat radiating from his body.

"Hardly," he replied, before reaching out to her. His hand rested upon her shoulder, then palmed its way down her arm. His fingertips ever so lightly caressed the curve of her hips, before finally resting on her waist, identical to his other hand. Rick held her gaze the entire time, noting the way her breath hitched and her eyes darkened.

Kate closed the distance between them, coiling her arms around his neck. She bit down on her lower lip as the soft mounds of her breasts came in contact with his hard, chiseled chest. Whether he realized it or not, his thumbs were tracing tiny circles over the thin material of her dress, and it was driving her crazy. Her suddenly painfully alert nipples strained against the material of her bra, and her cheeks flushed as she hoped to God he wouldn't notice. To top it all off, she could feel his breath on her lips, as he stared deep and penetrating into her eyes, making her feel weak in the knees. When had slow dancing become so erotic?

Trying to calm herself, the detective inhaled deeply and closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on their leisurely sway to the soft, sensual melody of the piano.

_It's not the pale moon that excites me_

_That thrills and delights me_

_Oh, no..._

_It's just the nearness of you_

She recognized the sweet, sultry and soothing voice of Norah Jones purring the lyrics. When she opened her eyes, Rick was studying her, a mixture of affection and ardor clouding his features. She wanted to say something, but discovered that speech was a foreign concept, and all she could do was watch him watching her. She was hypnotized, entranced; anything and everything that mattered was in the depths of his eyes.

_It isn't your sweet conversation_

_That brings this sensation_

_Oh, no..._

_It's just the nearness of you_

"You know, I never noticed this before," Rick began, his voice low and husky as he interjected into the silence, "but you have little golden flecks around the pupils of your eyes." He was fascinated by this new observation, hungry to discover absolutely anything about her. He wondered what other little quirks he could uncover about her, physical or otherwise. Even after three years, he still hadn't peeled away all the layers to the Beckett onion, and he was in no rush to do so. After all, the longer it took, the more time he could spend with her.

_When you're in my arms _

_And I feel you_

_So close to me..._

_All my wildest dreams come true_

A rosy flush darkened Kate's cheeks, as she averted her eyes for a moment. But his gaze was compelling, magnetic, and she couldn't look away for long. "Should I expect to find a line about Nikki Heat's 'gold-flecked eyes' in your next novel?" She raised her brows, laughing softly as he appeared to consider this development. No other man could make her feel so light-hearted and carefree after a week from hell, he was like a vacation without having to leave the city. It wasn't that he changed her, or made her a different person. He just brought out the best in her, and magnified who she already was.

"I don't think so," Rick responded at length, his eyes sweeping over the smile that enchanted and brightened her face. "Nikki Heat has nothing on Kate Beckett." He murmured affectionately, reaching up to tenderly tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingertips softly grazing her cheek along the way. "I've yet to meet a woman, real or fictional, that does."

_I need no soft lights to enchant me_

_If you'll only grant me the right_

_To hold you ever so tight_

_And to feel in the night_

_The nearness of you..._

Though the song ended and their swaying to the melody ceased, they did not yet part. Kate was certain he could feel her heart hammering away in her chest, as the air around them thickened with tension and desire. Her eyes were locked on his, momentarily dropped to his lips - which looked sinfully soft, warm and tempting - then darted back up to capture his gaze once more. Her eyelids fluttered, her pulse pounded as he tilted his head and their noses brushed, their hot breath mingling. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and she swore she could already taste him, a soft whimper emerging from her throat that she couldn't possibly have suppressed.

That little noise nearly made Rick's eyes roll back in his head. He simply _had_ to have her. His arms enveloped her waist, tight and possessive, pulling her flush against him. "Kate," he breathed huskily, their foreheads meeting. He was almost asking permission, but at the same time, he was too wrapped up in the moment to care.

"Less thinking," she gasped, one of her hands snaking from the nape of his neck to tangle in the hair on the back of his head, "more..." Kate was unable to finish her sentence as his open mouth crashed down upon hers, his tongue slipping past her lips without pretense. She leaned heavily into the kiss, her body angling against his so as to make it difficult for them to remain standing. They swayed on the spot, this time to a different rhythm, a much more passionate sort of dance. One of his hands caressed her back, slow and tender, while the other roughly gripped her hip and endeavored to draw her nearer, though they were already pressed flat against one another, chest to chest.

"Finally, here are your appetizers, our oven has been acting stra..._oh!_ I'm so sorry, I..." A flustered, blushing Adriana proved her worth as a waitress when she managed to hold onto the two serving trays in her hands, even at the shock she'd just received upon entering the terrace.

Still locked in a heated embrace until that frenzied voice reached their ears, the two nearly simultaneously jumped out of their skins. Kate reflexively shoved Rick roughly away from her, sending him stumbling backward.

"Hey!" He cried, arms flapping as he tried to keep his balance.

With wide, deer-in-the-headlights eyes, Kate rushed to his aid. "Sorry, sorry!" She exclaimed breathlessly, her cheeks flaming. They struggled against gravity for a moment, before she succeeded in pulling him to his feet, gripping both of his hands.

"Was it really bad enough that you had to shove me?" Rick murmured near her ear with a smirk, coming back to himself quickly.

Choosing to let that comment slide for the time being, she turned to the waitress, who was standing there looking mortified. "Uh," Kate forced a rather awkward smile, "thank you?" She wasn't actually thankful at all. But then again, if Adriana hadn't shown up, who knew what she and Castle might've done?

"Of course," the young Italian set down their food, then scurried out of the terrace as though fleeing the apocalypse.

Kate inhaled deeply, still catching her breath from the kiss. She reluctantly returned her gaze to her partner, to find that he was observing her thoughtfully.

Hands clasped behind his back, Rick cocked his head as he studied her. "Don't suppose we can call that one 'undercover'," he remarked, arching a brow.

The detective stared at him for a long moment, then cracked a smile, shaking her head. "No," she answered, running a hand through her mussed hair, "no, I don't suppose we can."

Rick hesitated, torn, then began in a resigned tone, "Look, if you want to pretend that never happened..." He paused, searching her eyes. "Then we can. It's up to you...whatever you want." It pained him to say such words, it really did, but he had to respect her decision, whatever it might be. It would be wrong of him to force her into something she wasn't ready for. After all, a few months earlier she'd said she wanted to wait until she sorted things out with her mom's murder before she got involved. Tonight had just been so incredible and she'd been too close for him to resist, but when it came right down to it, he would do absolutely anything for Kate Beckett.

Chewing her lower lip softly, Kate listened to his words with conflicted emotions, a million thoughts and feelings bombarding her at once. "Rick," she murmured softly, one of the very few instances she spoke his first name. "I don't _want_ to pretend it never happened." She reached up to gingerly touch his cheek, her fingertips ghosting along his jaw. "Because it did." A soft smile graced her features. She could still taste him on her tongue, feel his arms around her, and it was the realest sensation she'd ever had. "Just like I don't _want_ to pretend we didn't nearly freeze to death in each other's arms, I don't _want_ to pretend that you shadow me just for research, and I don't _want_ to pretend that the only reason I soldiered through being shot in the chest wasn't because you told me you love me."

The realization of what she'd just voiced aloud hit her like a ton of bricks, only it was two seconds too late to take it back.

Rick looked at her as though she'd just punched him in the stomach, _hard_. "Wait," he took a step back, both hands raised, halting any move she tried to make or word she tried to say. A storm was brewing behind his eyes. "What did you just say?" His voice was low, dangerous, as she'd never heard it before.

A chill shot down the length of Kate's spine. Her mouth opened, but then it closed, and she was speechless. What had she done?

"You remember." He spoke calmly, evenly at first, though his temperature was rising and his blood was beginning to boil. "You _remember_," he repeated, although this time it was not a statement, but an accusation. Rick inhaled heavily through his nostrils, struggling to keep his cool. He could see the pain in her eyes, she was desperately trying to find the right words to say, but nothing would change the truth of what she'd just revealed. "You lied to me." His fists clenched and unclenched, his jaw bunched and he roughly raked a hand through his hair. But he held her gaze steady, his steel blues lasering into her stricken emeralds. "Why would you do that?" The hurt, the agony permeated his voice for a painstaking moment, before it became cold and enraged once more. "Why the _hell_ would you lead me on when all I have done is support you, respect you, sit on the sidelines and watch you run around with men you wrap around your finger to keep happiness at bay?" The author was positively fuming. "To keep _me_ at bay." He growled scathingly, his eyes burning and his cheeks flushing with anger.

"Castle, please," Kate begged, feeling the panic rise in her chest. "Just let me explain myself. I never meant to hurt you, this is nothing against you and I-"

Rick let loose a derisive snort, cutting her off. "Nothing _against_ me? Is that really what you're going with?" He shook his head, taking a rather menacing step in her direction. Kate knew he would never physically hurt her, but the force and intensity of his emotions was cracking open her unhealed chest just the same. "You don't know the _pain_ I was in, thinking I'd bared my heart to you all for nothing, all to watch you to go back to that goddamn scooter-humping doctor." A twisted and malicious smile contorted his features, as his eyes burned into her own. "When you told me you'd broken up with him, when you spent the past couple months flirting with me, drinking my coffee, smiling that smitten smile at me, when you called me tonight and all but asked me on a _date_, you gave me false hope." He spat each phrase, each a stinging slap in the face. "But now I see that all this time, you've _known_ how I feel about you, and you just don't care." He glared daggers at her devastated, broken expression, and then began to walk away. After slapping a couple hundreds on the table, he swiftly made his way toward the opening of the gate.

For a moment she was paralyzed, her limbs felt like ice and it seemed as though her feet were glued to the ground. But finally, Kate found her voice and called out, "Castle..." She sprinted toward him, throwing out an arm to seize his. "Rick, wait!" Forcing him to turn and face her, she pleaded breathlessly, "You can't just have a one-sided conversation like that. You can't tell me how I feel, or single-handedly decide the outcome of our relationship." Panting, her chest rising and falling rapidly, she hoped and prayed he would let her explain. She wouldn't, she _couldn't _give up just yet.

It seemed the longest time that he simply stared at her, expressionless, before he finally said, "We don't _have_ a relationship, Kate." Rick almost took it back after seeing the utter anguish cloud her features, though he reminded himself of how she'd let him suffer for months, and managed to choke out his following words. "You've known all this time that I love you," he swallowed hard, his fingernails digging into the palms of his hands. "But if you don't love me, you should've told me that day at the hospital. And if you do..." His nostrils flared, and his voice shook. "It's a little too late for that now."

She watched him go.

_Sorry, but it had to be done! In order for them to really pursue a relationship, there can't be any secrets. I promise next chapter will see better days for our favorite duo!_


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